Pennsylvania releases official Sunday hunting dates

Pennsylvania’s foray into legal Sunday hunting has moved quickly, as the Game Commission officially released a list of new dates for hunters to head into the woods.

On Monday, the Game Commission announced that all 13 Sundays between Sept. 14 and Dec. 7 would be open to hunting.

The lone exception, the Game Commission said, would be the migratory game bird seasons. Migratory bird seasons are set through federal frameworks, the Game Commission said, and adding any Sundays would result in a loss of total hunting days this season.

“We’ve carefully reviewed these expanded season dates and are confident they will not jeopardize our healthy and abundant wildlife populations. We will closely monitor the impact of these additions to help inform future season dates.”

Steve Smith, the Game Commission’s executive director said the agency was confident the added hunting days would not jeopardize wildlife populations, but said impacts would be monitored.

“These aren’t just extra days in the field,” Smith said, “they’re a reflection of our commitment to removing barriers, making hunting more accessible, and ensuring that Pennsylvania’s rich hunting heritage is passed on to the next generation.”

Earlier this month, Gov. Josh Shapiro lifted the longtime ban on Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania after decades of debate between hunters, hikers, farmers, and elected officials.

Shapiro, at a press conference, called the blue law-era ban “outdated” and said the state’s Game Commission will now have full authority to set hunting seasons “that make sense for today’s sportsman.”

“At a time when folks in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are busier than ever before — so many hunters are working five, six days a week — this is a common sense change that gives hunters more freedom to choose when they want to head into the woods,” Shapiro said at the time.

The Game Commission, in turn, acted quickly, granting the 13 Sundays this week.